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Afghanistan earthquake: The magnitude was 6.0, then why such massive damage? What are shallow earthquakes? What makes them deadlier? Explained
Local residents walk by a house destroyed by an earthquake that killed many people and destroyed villages in eastern Afghanistan, in Mazar Dara, Kunar province on Monday. (AP)
A 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan’s mountainous eastern region at 11.47 pm on Sunday. Its epicentre was merely 27 kilometres away from Jalalabad, the country’s fifth-largest city, in eastern Nangarhar province.
Rescue teams continued to scour Afghanistan’s mountainous east for survivors on Tuesday as the death toll from a strong earthquake rose to 900 with 3,000 people injured, an official said.
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“The injured are being evacuated, so these figures may change significantly,” Yousaf Hammad, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, told The Associated Press. “The earthquake caused landslides in some areas, blocking roads, but they have been reopened, and the remaining roads will be reopened to allow access to areas that were difficult to reach.”
Afghanistan earthquake: Devastation and after effects
The 6.0 magnitude quake struck late Sunday night in several provinces, flattening villages and leaving people trapped under the rubble of homes constructed mostly of mud bricks and wood and unable to withstand the shock.
The majority of casualties were in Kunar province, where many people live in steep river valleys separated by high mountains. Helicopters are being used to evacuate the injured to hospital, and aid agencies said their teams were making journeys on foot to reach the most isolated areas because of the rough terrain and ruined roads.
The Taliban government has appealed for international help. The UK has pledged £1 million ($1.3 million) in emergency funding to be split between humanitarian agencies rather than the Taliban government, which the U.K. does not recognize. Other governments, including China, have offered disaster relief assistance. It is the third major earthquake since the Taliban seized power in 2021, and the latest crisis to beset Afghanistan, which is reeling from deep cuts to aid funding, a weak economy, and millions of people forcibly returned from Iran and Pakistan.
If the magnitude was 6.0, why such a strong impact?
The earthquake had a hypocenter (depth) of approximately 8 km beneath the surface, which geologists classify as shallow. Such a shallow depth caused extremely intense shaking and devastating ground-level impact across villages built with vulnerable materials. The initial quake was followed by a number of large aftershocks; one with a magnitude of 4.5 and a depth of 10 km and the other measuring 5.2 at the same depth.
What are shallow earthquakes?
Earthquakes are categorised by depth:
- Shallow-focus: 0-70 km
- Intermediate-focus: 70-300 km
- Deep-focus: 300-700 km
Shallow earthquakes release seismic energy much closer to the surface. This means less energy loss en route, resulting in stronger shaking, and greater surface destruction, especially in populated areas. They are particularly destructive if buildings are poorly constructed, as is common in remote or under-resourced regions.
What worsened situation in Afghanistan?
Rural communities in Afghanistan can’t afford sturdy and manufactured building materials. Because of this they build homes with locally available natural materials such as earth, stone and raw lumber.
Such buildings do not follow engineered designs, building codes or formal professional standards that prevent easy damage by earthquakes in wealthier countries.
A typical form of construction in Afghan rural areas is walls made of mud bricks or stone masonry. This is known as “monolithic” construction.
Such construction is unable to resist the strong side-to-side shaking caused by an earthquake. As a result, buildings easily tumble and crush people.
Other examples of damage from shallow earthquakes
Java, Indonesia (2022): The magnitude was 5.6 and the depth was 10 km. Despite its relatively moderate magnitude, it caused at least 268 deaths and damaged 22,000 buildings. The shallow depth and proximity to population centers amplified its destructiveness.
Ischia (Casamicciola), Italy (1883): The magnitude was 4.2–5.5 and the depth was 1 km. A minor-to-moderate quake in terms of magnitude — but extremely shallow — led to the destruction of 80% of homes and 2,300–3,100 deaths.
With Reuters, PTI, AP Inputs
About the Author
At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies …Read More
At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies … Read More
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